Jump to content

Starting Card Making


eniarrol

Recommended Posts

Hey guys,

Im totally new to all this card making. I love arts and crafts and have alot of spare time so i would love to jump into something like this. Im very nervous as i dont know what i should get and where to start ?? Anybody out there who wants to give a girl a helping hand ??? :2468who-do-we-appreciate:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Hi - I have made a few on the computer, and have printed them out, but, seeing they're flat, they look kinda daggy, and I dont think they've been too appreciated by the person receiving them. Im not sure if its cause im using a matt paper (which is thick tho)?

Any ideas?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest AZTechnoScrapper
Cards with layers and lots of texture continue to be really hot, as they often take their cue from what's going on in the scrappin' world. You can accomplish this by designing your elements on the computer and using them as printables, just like we can do with SG items, and physically layer them on your cardstock.

If you want to both design and print your cards out on the computer, you still may need to do a 4x6 panel that you print out and attach to your stock with brads, etc. Printing true folded cards on the computer is more difficult -- you're either stuck with a huge 5.5" x 8" half-fold card (which may me OK depending on your needs -- just get extra postage and large envelopes) or you get the quarter-fold cards on thin paper a la "The Print Shop."

HTH!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Guest mommy2twins2
I print my front panels four to a page, and I add them to the card with double stick tape. If there's an element I want to stand out (like a flower or something) I may print two of the same panel and cut out the flower and layer it on top. You can run a scissor blade across the bottom of petals and wheels and things for a curved effect. You can use dimensional glue to dots to hold them on. They are more interesting than a flat card. Printing the sentiment on a piece of velum and using it as an overlay is an interesting effect too.

Valarie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice ideas all around. I have done almost no cards until lately, then I did a bunch of them for my dd's birthday "crop til you drop" sleepover party. We did digital and traditional together and we got a LOT of compliments from moms of our invitees. I really love "mixing medias".
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I printed my Christmas invites on glossy photo paper, they looked really good. The glitter almost looked real. I didn't try them on matte photo paper, but I think using photo paper makes a really big difference. Maybe using more realistic looking elements helps too.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest mommy2twins2
I think I need to make more cards. I have an incredible stash of brads and eyelets I need to use up!
Valarie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='April Showers' post='105368' date='Mar 2 2007, 02:13 PM']When I printed my Christmas invites on glossy photo paper, they looked really good. The glitter almost looked real. I didn't try them on matte photo paper, but I think using photo paper makes a really big difference. Maybe using more realistic looking elements helps too.[/quote]

April, your Christmas invite is SO pretty. I know what you mean about printing on glossy photo paper. Things do tend to look more vivid. I have found Epson's Matte Heavyweight Paper to be pretty good at holding the vivid colors in a matte medium in case you're interested in ever using a matte finish. They also have a double-sided Matte Heavyweight.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Pepa I make a mini digi layout to cover the front of my card and then print a couple of the elements out seperately. I can stick them on top of the original to overcome the 'flat' look and add some 'real' brads or flowers etc.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='April Showers' post='105368' date='Mar 2 2007, 03:13 PM']When I printed my Christmas invites on glossy photo paper, they looked really good. The glitter almost looked real. I didn't try them on matte photo paper, but I think using photo paper makes a really big difference. Maybe using more realistic looking elements helps too.[/quote]

I love your card, April! You're right: the glitter *does* almost look real. I usually print my cards on matte paper but this makes me want to try glossy. :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
[quote name='April Showers' post='105368' date='Mar 2 2007, 01:29 PM']When I printed my Christmas invites on glossy photo paper, they looked really good. The glitter almost looked real. I didn't try them on matte photo paper, but I think using photo paper makes a really big difference. Maybe using more realistic looking elements helps too.[/quote]

That is a gorgeous card. How did you do it? Is it all digital?

Sue
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's how I do it, using PSE (PSE4 on Mac and PSE5 on PC):

1. Create a new file 5.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches high.

2. Create a new layer and draw a horizontal line across the middle (I can turn this on and off to make sure everything "fits")

3. Create the "front" of the card, which is the bottom portion, and the "back" of the card, which is the top portion. Don't forget to turn anything on the "back" upside down... Save your work often!

4. When it is just right, create an 8.5 X 11 inch document and pull the card over on it. Position the front on one half. Duplicate that layer, then rotate it 180 degrees and slide it over to cover the other half of the page. This should help you line the page up for cutting.

5. Save the document as a .jpg and print it out. If your printer features borderless printing, you are all set. if not, you will have to adjust what you put on your card to make it work with the borders the printer will insist on.

And about paper... I have tried several types of photo paper, and have found what I like the best is WalMart's JetPrint Everyday Photo paper. I like the soft gloss best. It comes in a pack of 60 sheets and is very reasonably priced.

Here's a link to one of my cards:

[url="http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.php?automodule=gallery&req=si&img=28883"]Thank You Card[/url]

Hope this helps. I love making cards more than scrapbooking!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Hi guys

I have just added a new post somewhere asking advice on this very thing and am new so I should have looked around first

But I am wanting to create a christmas card using PSP and my papers and things I have saved on my pc. doing a digital scrapbook card.

Now I am ok with whatever size but just not sure what measurements to put in my psp.

I will be print them out using my printer and some thicker than paper cardstock paper.

Can anyone tell me what size i should have my measurements as?

height
Width

either in cm or pixels?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='**Lisa**' post='265730' date='Oct 23 2007, 11:26 PM']Hi guys

I have just added a new post somewhere asking advice on this very thing and am new so I should have looked around first

But I am wanting to create a christmas card using PSP and my papers and things I have saved on my pc. doing a digital scrapbook card.

Now I am ok with whatever size but just not sure what measurements to put in my psp.

I will be print them out using my printer and some thicker than paper cardstock paper.

Can anyone tell me what size i should have my measurements as?

height
Width

either in cm or pixels?[/quote]

Lisa - Its hard to give you advice on size, because we are not quite sure what you want to do. Are you planning on printing out the whole card, or do you want to print out the pieces and assemble them on cardstock? Here's an example if you want to print out the whole card, and you want to make a card that is 5.5 inches x 4.25 inches when folded. Unfolded this would be 11 inches x 4.25 inches. That is a typical size and will fit in a standard invitation size envelope (I think that is A2 size). You can buy those envelopes in bulk at Office Max. Anyway, in order to do that you would size your canvas at 300 px resolution at a size of 3300 px (which is 11" x 300) height by 1250 px (which is 4.25" x 300) width. Does that help?

Something else you might want to consider is to just design your card front at 5.5 inches x 4.25 inches. You can print that out and adhere it to your 11" x 4.25" folded cardstock panel. Here's a link to a card that I created this way, only I made it 5" x 5" square shape. You would need a 10" x 5" folded cardstock panel for that.

[url="http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=17788"]http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.ph...i&img=17788[/url]

Here's the inside:
[url="http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=17787"]http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.ph...i&img=17787[/url]

Here's a link the a gallery full of cards to give you some ideas!
[url="http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=sc&cat=22"]http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.ph...q=sc&cat=22[/url]

Have fun!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='word10' post='211338' date='Aug 30 2007, 07:12 AM'][quote name='April Showers' post='105368' date='Mar 2 2007, 01:29 PM']When I printed my Christmas invites on glossy photo paper, they looked really good. The glitter almost looked real. I didn't try them on matte photo paper, but I think using photo paper makes a really big difference. Maybe using more realistic looking elements helps too.[/quote]

That is a gorgeous card. How did you do it? Is it all digital?

Sue
[/quote]

I made mine so it printed both the front and back of the card. (The back was the same as the front background.) I just cropped it for posting since it looks funny not folded. ;) It is 100% digital. The easiest invites I have ever done. (From the girl who embossed white elephants and had about 6 layers on every card until this year.) ;)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
[quote name='jude24' post='211378' date='Aug 30 2007, 07:55 AM']Here's how I do it, using PSE (PSE4 on Mac and PSE5 on PC):

1. Create a new file 5.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches high.

2. Create a new layer and draw a horizontal line across the middle (I can turn this on and off to make sure everything "fits")

3. Create the "front" of the card, which is the bottom portion, and the "back" of the card, which is the top portion. Don't forget to turn anything on the "back" upside down... Save your work often!

4. When it is just right, create an 8.5 X 11 inch document and pull the card over on it. Position the front on one half. Duplicate that layer, then rotate it 180 degrees and slide it over to cover the other half of the page. This should help you line the page up for cutting.

5. Save the document as a .jpg and print it out. If your printer features borderless printing, you are all set. if not, you will have to adjust what you put on your card to make it work with the borders the printer will insist on.



And about paper... I have tried several types of photo paper, and have found what I like the best is WalMart's JetPrint Everyday Photo paper. I like the soft gloss best. It comes in a pack of 60 sheets and is very reasonably priced.

Here's a link to one of my cards:

[url="http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.php?automodule=gallery&req=si&img=28883"]Thank You Card[/url]

Hope this helps. I love making cards more than scrapbooking![/quote]



Susan - These are beautiful! Thank you for sharing!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
[quote name='jude24' post='211378' date='Aug 30 2007, 08:55 AM']Here's how I do it, using PSE (PSE4 on Mac and PSE5 on PC):

1. Create a new file 5.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches high.

2. Create a new layer and draw a horizontal line across the middle (I can turn this on and off to make sure everything "fits")

3. Create the "front" of the card, which is the bottom portion, and the "back" of the card, which is the top portion. Don't forget to turn anything on the "back" upside down... Save your work often!

4. When it is just right, create an 8.5 X 11 inch document and pull the card over on it. Position the front on one half. Duplicate that layer, then rotate it 180 degrees and slide it over to cover the other half of the page. This should help you line the page up for cutting.

5. Save the document as a .jpg and print it out. If your printer features borderless printing, you are all set. if not, you will have to adjust what you put on your card to make it work with the borders the printer will insist on.

And about paper... I have tried several types of photo paper, and have found what I like the best is WalMart's JetPrint Everyday Photo paper. I like the soft gloss best. It comes in a pack of 60 sheets and is very reasonably priced.

Here's a link to one of my cards:

[url="http://scrapgirls.com.ipbhost.com/index.php?automodule=gallery&req=si&img=28883"]Thank You Card[/url]

Hope this helps. I love making cards more than scrapbooking![/quote]


I used your method and it worked great! Can you share with me what template you used for the envelope to put this card in. Thanks so much!

Sally
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...
[quote name='eniarrol' post='92390' date='Jan 30 2007, 03:28 PM']Hey guys,

Im totally new to all this card making. I love arts and crafts and have alot of spare time so i would love to jump into something like this. Im very nervous as i dont know what i should get and where to start ?? Anybody out there who wants to give a girl a helping hand ??? :2468who-do-we-appreciate:[/quote]

Hi Enairrol!

Making cards from traditional scrapbook materials (i.e. cardstock, ribbons, etc.) is lots of fun! In fact, I regularly make handmade greeting cards to my friends and family on special occasions. If you want to start making greeting cards the traditional way, I'd recommend the following tools:

[list]
[*]Paper Trimmer (of course :D)
[*]Bone folder: so you have have the perfect fold
[*]Cardstock in a variety of colors
[*]Cuttlebug or any die-cutting machine (let's you cut lots of shapes that you can adhere to your design)
[*]A variety of embellishments like ribbons, pop up dots, chipboard, etc.
[/list]

Don't forget you can also do hybrid projects in which you utilize traditional materials with your digital elements. For example, you can create a 4x6 LO with your digital elements, print it out, adhere it to your cardstock, then decorate it with embellishments. I haven't tried it yet but I have seen a lot of terrific projects out there where people have done it.

Good luck on card making and be sure to share your photos with us!

Cheers!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...